Staten Island Man Files Suit Accusing Officers Of Beating Him, Using Anti-Gay Slur
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A Staten Island man has filed a federal lawsuit against the city and former NYPD officers for what he claimed was a homophobic attack.
As WCBS 880's Peter Haskell reported, Louis Falcone, 31, filed the suit in Brooklyn U.S. District Court seeking $25 million in damages.
When police came to Falcone's home in June of last year, Falcone alleged they did not say why. He claimed they dragged him outside, beat him, and smashed his face into the ground.
"I started bleeding from my nose once they pushed my head down, and I was spitting the mud and blood I had in my mouth out, and one of the cops said: "Don't let him get it on you. The f** probably has AIDS."
Falcone said there was a stream of anti-gay slurs.
"I don't know," he said. "Maybe they were just bullies. Maybe they don't like gay people."
Falcone had been in a loud quarrel with his brother earlier in the night, which likely prompted a call to police.
The suit was filed this week, Haskell reported. Falcone announced plans to sue with his attorneys back in August.
Cellphone video released in August shows the officers pulling Falcone out the door.
In August, police sources said officers responded after Falcone's mother called 911 saying her sons were fighting inside her house. Police determined that Falcone's brother punched him in the face and then fled the scene, sources said at the time.
Sources claimed in August that at some point, Falcone spit in an officer's face.
"That's a complete lie," his lawyer, Eric Subin, said in August. "After this, Mr. Falcone was charged with nothing."
The city Law Department said Friday that it is reviewing the suit.
